Briceño Defends Mai’s Resignation Once More

It’s been a few weeks since former minister Jose Mai turned in his resignation from the Briceño administration’s Cabinet. His departure continues being plagued with questions and allegations.

In this morning’s episode of Open Your Eyes, Prime Minister John Briceño addressed the speculation and defended Mai’s leave.

“If he’d have asked for a leave of absence, then I could not appoint another minister,” Briceño said. “If you ask for time off, you’re still a minister. So in this case, he would have had to resign.”

Briceño again denied cartel-related allegations linked to Mai, saying, “That is one narrative that is not true.” With questions and scrutiny still surrounding the allegations, Briceño said, “It’s okay, we live in a democratic country,” adding, “Maybe I should have just allowed him to be able to explain as opposed to me trying to explain why he did [resign].”

“If you don’t give an explanation, they tell you you’re hiding something or give an investigation, and if you give an explanation, they say, ‘Oh, that’s not correct.’ So again, I try to do as best as I possibly can,” Briceño added.

He also dismissed claims that Mai’s oversight of the sugar portfolio influenced his resignation, saying that it “has nothing to do” with Mai’s exit.

Briceño took a moment to praise Mai’s years of contribution to the agriculture ministry. “We get caught up in all of these things about, about, but we are forgetting the tremendous amount of work that Minister Mai did as Minister of Agriculture. He’s been the most successful minister of agriculture this country has ever had,” he said.

In an exclusive interview with Mai on Tuesday, he denied every allegation brought against him. He said, “I have done nothing wrong, and I have done nothing illicit, and there is no evidence to prove that of me.” When asked if there’s any chance for his return, he said despite having “second thoughts” at first about returning, he “should be able to be back maybe within a year if everything goes well” with this spine surgery.